Weight relieving device



May 7, 1940.

J. L. BARR WEIGHT RELIEVING DEVICE Original Filed May 25, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Elam/M441:

May 7, 1940. J. BARR WEIGHT RELIEVING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 25. 1934 HIM A 4/ 5 utility in parking and unparking vehicles in confined quarters, and in other operations which re I With these and other objects,

may be incident to my improvements, the inven- .u1\1 -1TED s 'rATEs PATENT OFFlC-E 2,199,870 weion'r nemavmo n-nvlon i John L. :Barr, Chevy Chase, Md.

Applicationll/lay 25, 1934, Serial No. 727,569

I Renewed. December 23, 1938 My invention relates to means foriacilitating the steering of vehicles, suchas automotive vehicles, where-sharp turning 'of-the steering wheels.

is desirable without-undue effort. It is of peculiar quire cramping of the wheels where thevehicle is substantially. at a standstill.

It is an object of my invention to provide fluid in means for'efiecting the entire operation ot a lift mechanism which shall relieve thcweight' at least in part on .at least one 'ofthe steering Wheels of a vehicle. Another object of my invention is to devise a .13 novel form of fluid controlled latch which will prevent displacement of the lift mechanismfrom its inoperative position.

.Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device which will move the liitmechanism 30 from inoperative to operative position quickly and whichwill -'then apply a largeand easily,

force to effect the actual desired lift to relieve the weight onat least one of the steering. wheels, sufficiently to permit ready turning of the steering wheels.

Another object of the invention 'is to provide a device which is simply and easily constructed and which has few operating parts and which is easily repaired or replaced. I

in view, which time consists in the parts and combinationsto'be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the un- 'derstanding that the several necessaryelemen-ts compris'ingmy invention may be varied in corn struction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from. the spirit and scope of the lappended claims i In ordertomake my invention more clearly understood, I have shown-inthe accompanying drawlngs means'for carrying the same intopracv ticaleifect without limiting the improve'mentsin their, useful applications to the particular constructionswhich, for the purpose of explanation,

have been made the. subjectcf illustration.

2 In the drawings: 1

Figure l is a front elevation of thetiront steering wheels of an automobile showing the lifting mechanism in operative position.

30 Figure 2 is a detail'edwiew showing-the opera- I ting parts'in perspective; w

Figure 3 is view-partly in section showing my lift mechanism in" raised position, as well as the latch mechanism; this view-istaken from the 1 7 front "of timber;

1 Claims. (o1. 23 N159) lift cylinder on the front axle;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken along the i s longitudinal axis of'the hand pump;

Figure 6 is a detailed view taken along line 5 -6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure '7 is a detailed View taken along line 'l'! of Fig. looking inthe direction of the arrowslO Referring to the drawings, I have shown a front axle of the car i on which are mounted front steering wheels 2. The front springs are indicated by the numeral 3. The front springs are held by U-bolts into the front axle, the U-bolts =16 being attached through brackets 5. Mounted on the front axle l is. a base plate 6 which supports the lift mechanism about to be described. Near the drivers seat is located a pump handle l which is pivoted at 8 to a links. go The link 8 is pivoted at H to a piston rod i2. Pump handle I is also pivoted to a fixed point i on the car as indicated at i3. The diagrammatic perspective showing in Fig. 2 shows the connections just referred to. Mounted on the dash of the is a button 14 which. controls a Bowden wire 15 that slides in a sheath l6. Onthe floorboard of. the car is a foot pedal l! which is pivoted at l8 and which has its end pivoted to control rod l9. Spring 2% tends to hold pedal H in the up position.

The base member 6 is suitably attached to the front axle of the car by proper fastening means; In Fig. 1, I have shown bolts 22 which may sub-- serve this purpose. Other bolts'(not shown) or #3 other types of fastening means may be employed to attach the base firmly to the ,front axle. The brackets 5 which I have referred to may be integrally formed with the base ii and the U-bolts l thus tend to hold the base '6 firmly in place.

' The pedal 1? is for the purpose of acting as a foot release to permit the weight of the car to come back on the steering wheels after raising action has been effected and the wheels turned.

Its functioning. will belaterdescribed, The button M on'the dashboard of the car-is for the -purpose of effecting-the control in raising and p to which is attached Bowden wire 5-5.

Adapted to slide through the cylinder head 25 is a piston 28 which carries a piston head assembly 29 of the usual fluid tight construction. Between the piston head 29 and the cylinder head 25 is a helical compression spring 3|.

The piston 28 has an enlarged socket support 32 provided with a socket 3,3 in which a ball 34 fits. The ball is held by holding plate 35 that is secured in position by means of screws 36.

There is provided a recess 37 in the support 32 and in the plate 35 so that a stem 38 on which the ball is mounted can pass up into the aperture 37 in the position of the parts shown in Figure 3 when the compression element is swung out of position. The stem 38 is enlarged into a conical section 39 which is united to a. female body portion 40 having internal screw threads 4! adapted to fit in screw threads on screw threaded member 42, which is firmly held in place once the length of the compression element has been determined, by a lock nut 33 on the outside of the female member 48.

the compression element in the up position, see

Fig. 3. I

The male member 42 carries a ball 35 which fits within socket is formed in a conical foot ti.

A holding plate 48 holds the ball in place in the p a cylinder head BI which is screw threaded to a cylinder 52. The cylinder 62 is provided at the other end with a cylinder head 63 which may be formed integral. with the base 6, and the cylinder 62 is screw threaded into this cylinder head 63. The other end of the cylinder is supported by a bracket M which is screwed as indicated at 65 to the base 6. The cylinder head 55 has a port 66 which communicates through a coupling 61 with a flexible tube 68. There is a port provided at E9 in the cylinder head 63;

The double conical cam 58 is adapted to contact with an operating finger H which is carried on one arm 12 of a bell crank lever 73 which is pivoted as indicated at 14 on the base 6, the other arm E5 of the bell crank lever 13 being pivotally attached as indicated at It to an operating rod 11.

The operating rod l? is pivotally attached as indicated at, 18 to a latch mechanism 79 which is pivoted on pivot 8! which is supported on the base 5. The latch 19 is provided with a stop 82 which forbids its rotation around the pivot 8| further than is indicated in Fig.3, by reason of the contact of the stop 82 with the underside of the bracket 55. The other end of the latch I9 is provided with bifurcated arms 83 having holding ends 84 which, in the position of the parts shown in Figure 3, fit over the lugs 44 formed on the exterior of the female compression element 40.

A spring 85 tensions the latch 79 into the position indicated in Fig. 3' of the drawings. The

' spring 85 is fastened to the base 6 at 86 and is suitably attached to the latch 19. Attached to the underside of the bracket 55 by rivets ,87', or

. to a valve constructionQl located Lugs M on member 40 are adapted to engage latching mechanism to'hold port I06, and a port some other suitable fastening means, is an antirattle leaf springelement 81 which is provided with a slot 88 that is adapted to fit over the top of the ball 35 and the malemember 42 of the compression element. This anti-rattle spring 87 fits against the top of the foot 47 and puts the parts under spring, pressure to hold them in spring pressed relationship when the latch 19 is in engagement with the lugs 44 of the compression element. This arrangement prevents undue motion of the parts and objectionable rattling noises.

The cylinder head 24 of the cylinder 23 is provided With'a port 9| which communicates with a 1 fitting 92 to which is attached a flexible pipe 93.

The flexible pipe 68 is coupled to a pipe 94, and

the flexible pipe as is'coupled: to a pipe 95. The

pipe 94 is attached by means of a coupling 96 gas compression cylinder 98. The pipe is on'thetop of a Y I coupled through a suitable coupling 95 into af: valve head Hill located at one end of a liquid containing cylinder NH. The gas, air in this case, from the cylinder 98 is adapted to effect the latching and unlatching of the compression element, and also effects its lowering into operative position and its raising into inoperative position, as shown in Fig.8. This will be later described. 1

The liquid compressing mechanism about to be described gives a liquid under pressure that furnishes the actual lifting power to enable the compression element to expand-to raise thatpart of the vehicle to which it is attached to relieve the weight at least in part on at least one of the steering wheelsof the vehicle. It has been found that if the weight is relieved on only one of the steering wheels, this will permit ready turning of the other wheel. It has also been found that it is not necessary with my device to completely relieve the weight on even one of the wheels tov greatly. facilitate movement of the wheels to aid in turning the car in close quarters, such as occur in parking and unparking a car in confined spaces;

port 102, a port I03, and a port I04; There is a I 45 The valve 9'! (see Fig. 5) is provided with a v rotary valve mechanism Hi5 which is provided.

with the usual T-port construction. comprising ID! that runs all the way through the valve. Hl5is adapted to be rotated by an'attachedarm 98 which is pivoted at I69 to, a link structure a III which is attached to Bowden wire I5 which has been previously referred tojand which is controlled by the dash button l4. V

Cylinder 98 is provided witha head H2 which jhas a relief port H3 therein. In" the head H2 is 50 This rotary valve member adapted to slide piston rod !2, above referred to. I

Piston rod 12 carries a fluid tight piston construction I M of the usual type which may be screw threaded onto the piston rod l2. A description of the details of thisfiuid tight piston ihead does not'appear to be necessary as they are well known in the art. Thecylinder 98 is providedwith a head H5 through which passes an extension H6 of the piston rod l2.- There is provided the usual fluid tight slide joint indicated generally by numerallll'l. The extension H6 of the piston rod I2 is adapted smaller high pressure cylinder ilflwhich furnishes liquid under high pressure that causes the actual lifting of the vehicle after contact of the foot 47 with the roadway.

At one end of the cylinder H8 is a head H9,-

to reciprocate "in' having a port -I2I which leads into a valve aperture I22 which is provided with a port I23. A

ball I24 is adapted normally to close the entrance to port I23 a'ndis held in place by spring E25 on which bears a pressure plug I26 of the usual con' struction. Leading from the valve aperture i 22 is another port I2! which is normally closed by ball I28 that is spring pressed by meansof a spring 29 against its seat.

'Thereis an apertured screw threaded plug Isa against which one end of spring 29 bears and which permits passage of fluid into a centralvalve opening I32. Seated in the conical seat its provided in the port-opening we is a conical valve member I34 carried by operating valve stem Hit.

The stem passes through a packing gland of the usual type and has mounted on] its end an annular operating member Hi. The annular operating member I31 lies above the upper part of a bell crank arm 5380f the bell crank lever I39 which is pivoted at I48 on a support Ht! which is attached to a reservoir cylinder M2,

The reservoir cylinder Hi2 makes a fluid tight 7 connection with the head-I68 and is screwed at into cylinder 98.

I43 onto-the member II5 with a suitable packing I44 lying between cylinder I42 and member Elli. Reservoir cylinder I42 has a breather hole Hi5 and a filling plug M6.

Bell crank lever I38 has its arm I33 provided with a'stop member I47 which is adapted to arrest downward motion of the-arm 38 in some desired'position, such as that shown in Fig. 5. Thebell crank lever I39 has an arm Hi8 which is pivoted at hit to theoperating rod is. fitting 9S and the head IEO makes connection between valve aperture I32 and pipe Let us assume that the compression element is in its up position as indicated in Fig. 2. The position of the button It on the dash is such-as to place the operating arm I98 in the position shown in Fig. 2, which is the same as that shown in Fig, 5. In thisposition of the valve, there is a "straight connection between pipe 5d, port W2 andthe interioroi the cylinder Q3." The hand lever l isgrasped by the operator and pulled so thatthe piston Il i is caused to travel toward theother end of the cylinder 98. Whcn'this occurs, air is expelled through port H3, the air which is in the cylinder 62 which lies in front of piston head IE8 is sucked in through pipe 58, pipe M This draws piston head H38 to a position in the ieft hand end of cylinder 62.

Viewing the mechanism from the direction in which the drawing of Fig. 3 is taken, the following occurs: Cam surfaces 58 contact with the operating finger 'II androck bell crank lever 53 I in a clockwise direction, pulling on rod ii and moving latch I5 t0 the right against the tension of spring 85. This releases the lugs M from engagement with catches 3 3 and permits the compression element to drop downwardly out of engagement with itsupper latch position. Moreover, since the Bowden wire construction as is pushed outward through the sheath til, the com pression element is forced downward in addition to the force exerted bygravity.

In the meantime, cylinder IE8 has been filled with oil or other suitable operating fluid i'rom cylinder I42 which, as shown in the drawings, is almost full of'oil. This oil has entered past bail I24 and againstthe tension of the spring above it. The cylinder II8 therefore is now full of oil and the extension N6 of the piston rod i2 is at its extreme right position, viewing the structure cates with port ld i thus permitting the air to escape infront'of piston ll l'upon movement of the piston rod I2 under the influence of the oper 'ating handle l to the left, with the parts in the position-shown in Fig. 5. While air is escaping, howeventhe oil in cylinder IIE has'been ejected through movement of the hand lever l past ball $28 and into pipe 95, flexible pipe Q3 and into cylinder 23 where it presses downwardly on the piston head in that cylinder compressing spring SI and exerting lifting forces on the portion of the car-to which the device isattached to relieve at least in part weight on at least one of the steering wheels.

After the turning operation of the wheels, it is desirable to raise the lift mechanism back into the position shown in Fig.3.. It is accomplished through moving the button 94 to place the valve I05 in the position shown in Fig. 5. El is pressed downwardly, which draws on rod l9 thus causing lever arm i538 of bell crank lever Foot pedal I39 to press upwardly on release disc lii'l (see Fig. 5) and open port I29 so that oil under pressure in cylinder 23 can pass through pipe 93, pipe 5 into valve aperture I32 through port I39 and into the interior of the reservoir cylinder I42.

In the meantime, a movement oi the handle it into the position'shown in Fig. 2 will have ejected the oil in cylinder i lii'frornin front of the extension H6 of piston rod l2 past valve H28 and back into cylinder hi2. Moreover, the air in front of piston lit will have passed through valve wi l and to pipe dd, thenceinto pipe V which will move piston U321 again into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3; This will pull on the Bowden wire 54 and pull the lift inechanisrn up into the position shown in Fig. '3, where it is again latched in place by reason of the action of the spring 85. p

. it is to be noted that the bifurcated arms 83 or" the latch it are provided with sloped surfaces capable of movement to compensate for the vario'us movements to which itis subjected in crarnp- 'ing the steering wheels. These movements-are fully explained in application Serial No. 724,168, filed'May' 5, 1934.

While I have shown and described the preierred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth,

by way of illustration, as it is apparent'that many changes and variations may be made therein, by

those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims;

I claim: 7 Y

1; In a device of the character described, a lift mechanism, a latch therefor, a cylinder, a piston in the-cylinder, means to introduce iluid under pressure into the cylinder to 'move the piston, a

piston rod, a cam thereon to release the latch,

a pivoted member against whichthe cam is adapted to contact, and a link from the pivoted member to the latch.

2. In a device of the character described, a lift mechanism, a latch therefor, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, means to introduce fluid under pressure into the cylinder to move the piston, a piston rod and a cam thereon to release the latch, spring means to return the latch to holding position, a pivoted member against which the cam is adapted to contact, and a link from the pivoted member to the latch.

3. In a device to facilitate the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle, a lift mechanism operated by liquid under pressure said lift mechanism being supported by the vehicle, cylinder means in which are generated air under pressure and a liquid under pressure, means connecting the liquid under pressure from said cylinder to the lift mechanism, a latch to hold the lift mechanism in inoperative position, a latch operating mechanism, means connecting the air under pressure from the cylinder to the latch operating mechanism, and air operated means associated with said lift mechanism to effect the swinging of the lift mechanism into operative or inoperative position.

4. In a device to facilitate the turning of the steering wheels of a Vehicle, a lift mechanism operated by liquid under pressure said lift mechanism being supported by the vehicle, cylinder means in which are generated air under pressure and a liquid under pressure, means connecting the liquid under pressure through said cylinder to the lift mechanism, control means on said cylinder, a latch to hold the lift mechanism in inoperative position, a latch operating mechanism responding to the controls on the cylinder, means connecting the air under pressure from the cylinder to the latch operating mechanism, and air operated means associated with said lift mechanism to effect the swinging of the lift mechanism into operative and.ino-perative position through the controls on the cylinder.

5. In a device of the character described to facilitate the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle, a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, fluid pressure operated means to bring the lift mechanism into operative position, a fluid operated latch device for releasing the lift mechanism from inoperative position, a source of fluid under pressure, a cylinder for the lift mechanism, a piston operating in the cylinder said lift mechanism being universally supported by thepiston, and means connecting the source of fluid under pressure and the cylinder to operate the lift mechanism to relieve the weight on at least one of the steering wheels of the vehicle.

6. In a device of the character described to facilitate the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle, a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, a source of fluid under pressure, a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, said lift mechanism being universally supported by the piston, a second cylinder, 2. piston in said secondv cylinder, devices interconnecting said cylinders with the source of fluid, means to cause a differential pressure on either side of said second mentioned piston, means to cause the fluid to move the first mentioned piston to operate the lift mechanism to relieve the weight on at least one of the steering wheels of the vehicle, and means associated with said second piston and the lift mechanism to permit a swinging of the lift mechanism into operative position, said last named means comprising a fluid operated latch device for releasing the lift I mechanism from inoperative position. 7. In a device of the character described vt facilitate the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle, a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, fluid pressure operated means to bring the lift mechanism into operative position, a source of liquid under pressure, a cylinder for the lift mechanism, a piston operated in the cylinder said lift mechanism being universally supported by the piston, and means connecting the source of liquid under pressure and the cylinder to operate the lift mechanism to relieve the weight on at least one of the steering wheels of the vehicle, said means for moving the lift mechanism into operative position being adapted to move quickly, and the liquid operating means being adapted to exert large force but beingrelatively slow in action.

vehicle, a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, a source of fluid under pressure, a cylinder,

a piston. movable in the cylinder, said lift mech,

anism being universally supported by the piston, a second cylinder, a piston in said second cylinder, devices interconnecting said cylinders with the 8. In a device of the character described to facilitate the turning of the steering wheels of a source of fluid, means to cause a differential pressure on either side of said second mentioned piston, means connecting the second mentioned piston and the lift mechanismto permit a swinging of the lift mechanism into operative position, means to cause the fluid to move the first mentioned piston to operate the lift mechanism to relieve the weight on at least one of the steering wheels of the vehicle, said means for moving the means to introduce fluid under pressure intov the I cylinder to move the piston, a piston rod, acam thereon to release the latch and meansv against which the cam is adapted to contact to release the latch to permit the lift mechanism to move to operative position; 10. In a device of the character described 'to facilitate the turning of the steering Wheels of a vehicle, a lift mechanism. supported by the vehicle, a source of fluid under pressure, a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, said lift mechanism being universally supported by the piston, a second cylinder, a piston in said second cylinder, devices interconnecting said'cylinders j with the source of fluid, means to cause a differentia1 pressure on either side of said second mentioned piston, means to cause the fluid to move the first mentioned piston to operate the lift mechanism to relieve the weight on at least one of the steering wheels of the vehicle, and means connecting the second mentioned piston and the lift mechanism whereby said lift mechanism is permitted to swing from an inoperative to an operative position.

11. A device for facilitating the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle comprising a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, a latch therefor, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, means to introduce fluid under pressure into the cylinder to move the piston, a piston rod having a surface thereon adapted to release the latch, 75

latch releasing portion of the piston rod is adapted to contact to release the latch to permit the lift mechanism to move to operative position.

12. A device for facilitating the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle comprising a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, a latch therefor, a cylinder,,a piston in the cylinder, means to introduce fluid under pressure into the cylinder to reciprocate the piston, a piston rod.

a cam surface thereon adapted to release the latch, spring means to return the latch to holding position, and a pivoted member against which the cam is adapted to contact to release the latch to permit the lift mechanism to move to operative position.

13. A device for facilitating the turning of the steering wheels of a vehicle comprising a lift mechanism supported by the vehicle, a latch pivotally mounted at one end to the vehicle and having a bifurcated portion at the opposite end for fitting around the lift mechanism to hold said mechanism in inoperative position, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, means to introduce fluid under pressure into the cylinder to move the piston, a piston rod, a cam surface thereon to release the latch, spring means to return the latch to holding position, and a pivoted member against which the cam. surface is adapted to contact to release the latch to permit the lift mechanism to move to operative position.

JOHN L; BARR. 

